Sheet-folding mechanism



Sept, 1, 1925.

A. NOVICK SHEET FO LDING MECHANISM Filed April 4, 19 4-Sheets-Sheet 1 h QM ' Sept. 1, 1925. 1,551,903

A. NOVICK SHEET FOLDING MECHANISM Filed April 4, 1924 4Shee tsSheet 2 INVENTQR ATTORNEYS Sept. 1, 1925.

A. NOVICK SHEET FOLDING MECHANISM Filed April 4,

1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Sept. 1, 1925. 5 1,551,903

A. NOVICK SHEET FOLDING MEcHANisM Filed April 4, 1924 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FTTOF/VEYS Patented Sept. 1, 19 4 UNITED STATES ABRAHAM NovIcx, or FLI-TSHING, NEW YORK, AssrGnoR r0 1'. L. smrrnn macnmn GOMPANY, INCORPORATED, on NEW YORK, N. ,Y. A CORPORATION or new YORK.

S HEET-FOLDING MECHANISM.

, -Application filed April 4, 1924. Serial No. 704,088.

To all whom it ma'y, concern:

Be it known that I, ABRAHAM Novion, a' citizen of the United States, residing at Flushing, in the county of Queens and State of New York, have invented certain new and.

folding paper or like sheet material, for the purpose of forming articles such as envelopes. i

The general objectof the invention is .to provide a new and improved. mechanism, whereby the folding operation may be performed with accuracy and speed while the blank is passing thru the machine.

The invention is herein shown and described as embodied in an envelope mak-- ing machine, and serving to fold the'side flaps of the envelopes made by such machine.

The characteristic novel features of the invention are illustrated in the mechanism hereinafter described, and will be pointed out in the appended claims. v

' The invention willbeunderstood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in\

which Figure 1 is an elevation of a portion of an envelope making machine having the invention embodied therein; Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of a portion ofsaid machine, substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is -a fragmentary sectional view of a detail of said machine, on the line 3-3 of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a plan view-of certain parts of the side flap 1 folding mechanism; Figure 5 is a sectional elevation of said mechanism substantially on the line -55 in Figure 1; and Figures 6 to 9 are diagrammatic views illustrating the manner in which the side flaps of an envelope are folded by the folding mechanism.

Referring to the drawings, and particularly to Figures 1 and 2, portions of the frame of an envelope making machine are represented by the parts 8 and 9. Between these frame members, and inclined to the vertical, are forming blades 12 and 13 which cooperate with the blank to be folded. The means by which the blanks are fed downwardly behind the forming blades 12 and 13 forms no partof the present invention and need not be further described than to er reach of which is supported by a pulley 16 (Figure 2), the front surface of this belt being in substantially the sameplane as the back surfaces of the forming blades 12 and 13 and as the frontsurfaces of certain fixed guides 18 and 19. Frictional engagement between the envelope blanks and the belt 15 is increased by rollers (not shown) yieldingly pressed toward thebelt in a manner which it is not necessary to illustrate. In

Figure 1 an envelope blank is shown in dash lines in a position to which it has been carried by the belt 15, and in which it is ready for the side flaps to be folded over the forming blades 12 and 13 by the folding mechanisinwhich will be hereinafter described.

Themanner in which the forming blades 12 and 13 are supported and actuated forms no. part of the present invention and need not be described further than'to say that each of the said forming blades is supported ona slide 25 adapted to move in a slideway 27, each of which said slideways is ad-' justabaly supported on a cross frame member ,30 upon which it is secured in place by set screws 38. The slides 25 are reciprocated in the slideways 27 by a system of leframe member 9, and pivotally connected to the upperend of the lever '46 is a connecting rod 50 which at its other end is pivotally secured to the end of a lever 52 "attached to a shaft 54 journaled in the frame members 8 and 9. "Mounted upon and secured to the shaft 54 are levers ,56 .to the end of which is secured a; pin 58 which rotatably and slidingly engages a hole in a block 60 mounted between lugs 34 extending forwardly from each of the slides 25. With this construction, itwill be apparent that, as the cam 40 rotates, the shaft 54 will be roatably reciprocate/d thru themedium of the roller 44, lever 46, connecting rod '50 and lever 52, and that the slides 25, carrying brackets to which are secured the forming blades 12 and 13, will be 'reciprocated in unison owing to the angular movements of the levers 56 and the pivoted connections becations of the parts including the slideways 27 may be adjusted laterally of the machine upon the cross frame member 30 I when the set screws 38 are loosened and that the blocks 60 slide upon the pins 58, it will be understood that the position of the for1n ing blades 12 and 13 with reference to the belt l5 may be easily adjusted for different sizes of envelope blanks to be folded.

Below the lower ends of the forming blades 12 and 13, is a bottom flap folding and drawing-off mechanism which is described and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 643,079,- filed November 6, 1923. This mechanism also performs the function of limiting the downward movement of the envelope blank prior to the folding operations, as will be understood from Fi re 1 which shows the envelope blank at rest with its bottom flap extending over the bottom flap folding plate 68, and with the apexes of the obtuse angles between the bottom flap and the side flaps of the blank in engagement with stops 65 carried by the flap folding mechanism. These stops 65 have fupturned ends 66 which are engaged by the edges of the envelope blank; and said stops are adjustably secured to a bar 67 carrying a flap folding plate 68, by means of screws or bolts 69 which extend thru slots in the stops and into the bar 67. This construction permits adjustment of the stops 65 so that the inner faces of their upturned ends 66 will lie ap roximately in line with the outer edges 0 the forming blades 12. and 13, in whatever'position said blades maybe set; thereby adapting the stops for engagement with envelope blanks of different sizes. The bar 67 is secured in any suitable manner to the .ends of levers 74 which are secured to and extend from a shaft 75 suitably journaled in the frame of a machine.

The shaft 75' has secured thereto an arm 77 which carries at its outer end a cam follower in the form of a roller 78 which cooperates With the cam 79 fixed upon a constantly rotating shaft 80 journaled in the frame of the machine. Cooperating with the parts just described, and adjacent the lower end of the flap folding plate 68, are. drawing ofl' rollers 86 and 87 which seize the envelope and strip it from the forming blades 12 and-13 when the latter have moved downwardly and have presented the'folded envelope to the bite of said drawing off rollers. The drawing off roller 86 is, of course, driven in any suitable manner, and the roller 87 serves merely as an idler to hold the envelopes in frictional engagement with the roller 86. The bottom flap folding and drawing off mechanism need not be further described, since it forms no part of the invention hereinafter claimed embodied. Before proceeding'with the de- 70 L seriptionof the details of the side flap folding mechanism, it will, however, be helpful toidescribe the function of this mechanism with the aid of Figuresfi to 9. These figures all show, in a more or less diagrammatic 75 manner and in cross section, an envelope blank A located between the forming blades J Band 13 and the fixed guides 18 and 19, and

in engagement with the conveyor belt 15. Devices 90 which will'be called 'flap lift- 80. ers and will be hereinafter described, are diagrammatically represented; and the folding elements themselves are diagrammatically shown as'comprising elements 91 and elements 92 which cooperate with the orm- 95 ing blades 12 and 13 to effect the folding of v the side flaps ofthe envelopes. Above the plane of the envelope blank, and sli htly to the left of the belt 15 is a finger 93, t e form of which is shown in Figure2, which serves to retard the folding over of one of the side flaps of the envelope, so as to insure that this flap will lie on top of the other flap which is gummed at its edge as indicated at '94. Figure 6 shows the envelope blank in 95 the act of passing downwardly into the position shown in Figure l in which it is ready to be folded. At this time, the side flaplifters 90 are holding the side flaps of the envelope slightly raised so that they will not come into engagement with the cre'asin and folding elements 91 and-92. Figure shows the elements 91 and 92 raised and beginning to perform the folding operation, the side flap lifters being at this time retracted. Figure 8 shows the elements 91 performing their function of folding the flaps of the envelope blank over the edges of the forming blades 12 and 13; and shows. the elements 92 mid-way of their folding movements. It will be noted that at this time the left flap of the envelope is engaging and is being delayed in its movement by the finger 93. Figure 9 shows the folding elements at their extreme folding positions. The side flap folding operation has now been completed, and the bottom flap folding mechanism is operatin As soon as the envelope flaps have been olded to the positions shown in Figure 9 the folding elements 91 and 92 are withdrawn, from the position shown in Figure 9 and thru the positions shown in Figures 8 and 7, to the position shown in Figure 6, ready for operation on another envelope blank. It will 2 be noted that the folding elements have a movement in two directions, and that the movement of the elements 92 is far greater than the movement of the elements 91; and

one of the objects of the present invention.

In the particular embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the side flap folding mechanism is actuated from the constantly driven shaft 80, from which the bottom flap folding mechanism is actuated as hereinbefore described. As has been explained,-thefolding elements 91am moved in two directions, one of these directions be-' ing substantially vertical to the plane of the envelope blank, and the other direction being substantially parallel with said plane. The manner in which the elements 91 are supported and moved will be first described.

Referring to Figure 4, it will be seen that each element 91 is carried by a lug 97 which is secured by a bolt 98 to a lug 99 which is integral with a plate'adjustably secured to a slide member 100 by means of a bolt 102 extending thru a slot in said member. The

. member 100 is supported so as to be capable cated; the plates 110 and 111 being of small transverse movement and more extensive longitudinal movement in a supporting frame 105 provided with a base plate 106 which is bolted to the frame 8 or 9 of the machine by bolts 108. As best shown in Figure 5, the frame 105 is provided with a recess 109 in which the member 100 is 10- vided for retaining the member 100 within the slot 109 without interfering with its movement therein. Transverse movement of the slide'member 100 in the slot 109 is effected by a plate 114 arranged for longitudinal sliding movement in a channel pro 1 At is end nearest the slidemember 100, the

' longitudinal movement ofthe plate 114 will plate 114 is preferably enlarged and provided with a downwardly extending plate 119 which extends into a slot 120 in the slide member 100. It will be understood that serve to move the member 100 transversely in the slot 109, without interfering with the longitudinal movement/of said member 100. Near its other end, the. plate 114 is provided with aslot 121 in which, on a pin extending across said slot, is mounted a roller 122.,

This roller 122 is engaged by the forked ends 124 of a lever 125 (Figure 2) pivot- I machine. At its lower end, lever 125 is rovi ded with a cam follower 128 adapt to ally mounted on a shaft 127 which is rotatably mounted in the frames 8 and 9 of the pro-- cooperate with a cam 130 secured to the shaft 80. The lever 125 is biased .to a position in which the cam follower 128 constant-- 1y makes contact with the surface of the cam 130, by a spring 132 which is secured at one end to the frame of the machine and at the other end to an arm 133 extending outward- 1y from the lever 125. It will be obvious that the cam 130 rotates, the lever 125 is rocked, thereby causing reciprocation of the slide 114 in the supporting frame 105; and that this movement causes transverse movement of the slide member 100 in the slot 109. The means by which each slide member100 carrying the element 91 is reoiprocatedlongitudinally, is best shown in Figures 1 and 4. As therein shown, each slide member 100 is actuated by a cam 135 mounted on and secured to the shaft 80. Cooperating-with the cam 135 is a cam follower 137 mounted in the end of a lever 138 pivotally supported on a bracket 140 attached to the frame of the machine. Attached to the upper end of the lever 138 by any suitable form of universal joint, is a connecting rod 142 which at its other endis connected thru a universal joint 144 with the slide member 100. The lever 138 is biased to the position in which the cam follower 137 engages the cam 135, by means of the spring 146 attached at one end to a bracket 147 extending from the frame of the machine, and at the other end to an arm 148 extending from the lever 138. It will be apparent that the connections between the lever 138 and the slide) member are such that the transverse movement ofthe member 100, in the manner hereinbefore described, will not interfere with t can be independently adjusted, thereby facilitating proper setting and control of the v folding mechanism.

As hereinbefore' explained, the side flap folding elements 92 have a greater longitudinal movement than-the foldin elements 91. As best shown in Figures 4 an 5, each folding element 92 is pivotally attached at its rear end to the forked end 150 of a lever 151 which is pivotally attached at its other end to a screw153 extending from the bottom of the plate-"114 and thru a slot in the frame member 105 Pivotally secured to the lever 151 by means ofa pin 155 (Figure 5), is a link 156 which at its other'end is pivotally attached to'the slide member 100, as shown in Figure .4. A spring 159, attached at one end to the folding element 92 and at the other end to a lug on the link 156, servesto hold the folding element 92 yieldingly with its folding end in enga ement'with the other folding element 91. H ith the construction just described, it will be apparent that, as each slide member 100 is reciprocated longitudinally, the movement of 'its folding element 91 will .be comparatively short, while the longitudinal movement of its foldingelement 92 will be much greater, the comparative'extent of these movements being shown in FiguresS to 9. This comparativelyreat movement of the folding elements 92 is facilitated by the lightness and consequent lack of inertia of these elements and of the parts by which they are actuated. It will of course be understood, however, that when certain sizes of envelopes are to be folded the elements 92 may be dispensed with as.unnec essary, and the entire foldingoperation may be performed by the elements 91.

It is .to be notedthat in the transverse movement of the member 100, which is a short slow movement/all of the parts at-- tached thereto move; whereas in the longitudinal movement vof-said member, which is a 10m ,fast movement,'only some of the attached parts move. In view of this fact, the weight and cons'equentlythe inertia of the parts moving longitudinally are less than the weight and inertia of the parts moving transversely. This construction of having the fast moving parts of .less weight than the slow moving ones, is essential forhigh-speed operation of a machine of this class.

l The means by which the side flap lifters 90 are supported and actuated will now be described. As shown in Figures 1 and 2 each side flap lifter 90, which is: in the form of a wire with a hooked end, is adjustably mounted in a block 165 carried by the end of a link cured at any desired location transversely of the machine by set screw 17 9 The rod 170, near the end which is remote from the side flap' lifter, is provided with a slot across:

which extends a pin 181, as shown in Figure 3. The pin 181 is engaged by the forked ends of a lever 182 which is secured'in any suitable manner, as by a set screw 183, to the shaft 177. The shaft 177 is rotatably recip shaft 177. With this arrangement, it will be 1 rocated, in order to rock the levers 182 and cause reciprocation of the rods 17 0 carrying the side flap lifters 90, by means of a cam 184 secured to the shaft 80. Cooperating with the cam 184 is a cam follower 185 which is mounted on a lever 187 mounted on the shaft 127 and secured thereto by a set screw 188; anda link 189 pivotally connects the lever 187 with an arm 190 secured to the cause the side flap lifters 90 to reciprocate from the position shown in Figure 6, in which said lifters are keeping the envelope blank from engaging with the side flap folding elements 91 and 92, to the position shown in Figures 7,8, and 9 in which the side flap lifters are out of the way of the lower edge of a descending envelope blank.

It will, of course, be understood that the various cams 79, 130, 135 and 184, which are secured to the shaft 80,- are so designed and angularly located with reference to one another thatthe various mechanisms actuated by them will properly cooperate with one another and with the other elements of the machine, to the end that the envelope blanks may properly pass thru the machine and be operated upon.- The drawings, of course,

merely show the general form and arrange ment ofthe various parts, and are more or less diagrammatic in character; but from the .drawings and the foregoing description it will be obvious 'to those skilled in the art how the various parts may be designed, proportioned and adjusted for proper operation in a machine.

The manner in which the finger 93, the

function of which is illustrated in Figure 8 and has been hereinbefore described,.may be supported, is illustrated in Figure 2. In this figure, the finger 93 is shown as frictionally held in a hole in the split end of a block 193 which may be contracted by means of a bolt 194. The block 193 is pivotallv mounted on a pin 195 extending from a bracket 196 secured to a machine. he upper end of the block 193 is shown slotted and capable of, being drawn together by a bolt 198, for the purpose of frictionally holding the block 193 in any desired position on the pin 195. Of course, the finger 93 may be supported in any other suitable manner which will provide for its proper adjustment.

What I claim is:

1. In a folding mechanism, a folding element slidably movable in two directions, and separate means for effecting the movements of said folding element.

2. In a folding mechanism, a folding element slidably movable in two directions ortion 197 of the frame of the substantially at right angles to one another,

and separate means for effecting the move- ,ments of said folding element.

3. In a folding mechanism, a folding element, means for supporting said folding element so as to permit its movementi'in two;

ment, 'a slide member upon which said folding element is mounted, a support for said obvious that as the cam 184 rotates, it will slide member, means for moving the said slide member in one direction in said support, and separate means for; moving said slide member in another direction in said ing blade means comprising, a plurality of foldingelements slidably movabld in two directions, means for moving said elements in a direction at an angle to the plane of the forming blademeans, and independent means for moving said elements to different extents in directions parallel to the plane of said forming blade means.

7. In combination, means for supporting a blank to be folded, forming blade means adapted to cooperate with said blank, and folding means cooperating with said forming blade means comprising an element for folding the blank over the edge of the forming blade means, a second element for completing the folding operation; means for moving said folding elements in a direction at an angle to the plane of the forming blade means, and another means for moving said elements to different extents in direc-v tions parallel to the plane of said forming blade means. L

8. In combination, means for supporting a blank to be folded, forming blade means adapted to cooperate with said blank, and

folding means cooperating with said forming blade ,means comprising, a plurality of folding elements arranged for movement in two directions, means for moving said elements simultaneously in a direction at right angles to the plane of the blank, and another ,means for moving'said elements separately in directions parallel with the plane of the 7 blank.

9. In combination, means for supporting a blank to be folded,-"'forming blade means adapted to cooperate with said blank, and

folding means cooperating with said forming blade means comprising, an element for folding the blank over the edge of the forming blade means, a member upon which said element is supported, means for moving 'said member in a direction at right angles to the plane of the blank, means for moving said member in 'a direction parallel to the plane of the blank, a second folding element coopcrating with said first-named element, and means for supporting said second folding element and moving it simultaneously with I but to a greater extent than said first-named element.

10. In a folding mechanism, two folding elements, a slide member upon which one of said folding elements is mounted, means for moving said slide member in directions at an angle to the plane of the blank to be folded and also parallel to said plane, and

operative connections between the other of said folding elements and said slide member and slide-moving means whereby said last-named folding element is moved simultaneously with but to a greater extent than said first-named folding element.

11. In a folding mechanism, a folding 'element and slide member upon which said her for guiding said first-mentioned slide member in longitudinal direction.

12. Ina folding mechanism, a folding element, a slide for supporting said element, means. for impressing longitudinal movement on said element, and separate means for vimpressing transverse movement there.- on, the latter movement beingslower than the former movement, said means for effecting'longitudinal movement of the folding element being of less weight than said means for effecting transverse movement thereof, so that the inertia of the fast longitudinal-moving means is less than that of the slow transverse-moving means. I 13., In a folding mechanism: a folding element, means for impressing longitudinal movement 'on said element, separate means for impressing transverse movement thereon, the latter movement being slower and of less extent than the former movement, said second-mentioned means. being provided with means to guide said folding element in its longitudinal movement.

5 14;. In a folding mechanism, a folding element, a slide for supportin said element, means for impressing, long1tudinal movement on said element, separate meansfor impressing transverse movement thereon, the latter movement being slower and of less extent than the former movement, said second-mentioned means having aigreate'r weight and greater inertia than said first means.

15. Ina folding mechanism, a folding element having longitudinal and transverse ment and a secon movements, said element comprising a member fast long1tudina1 movemember havin slow longitudinal movement, said rst mem-.

her having less weight and consequently less having a long-1 inertia than said second member, and means for impressing longitudinal and transverse movements on said folding element. p Y

- 16. In combination, means for su porting a blank to be folded, forming bla e means adapted to cooperate with said blank, and

folding means cooperating withsaid form-' ingyblade means comprising an element for folding the blank over the edge of the forming blade means,a member upon which said element is supported, means for moving said member in a direction at right angles to the plane of the blank, a second means for moving said member in a direction parallel to the plane of the blank, a second folding inertia than said second means.

a short carrier in eit 17. In an envelope foldin mechanism the combination with a folder, 0 a carrier therefor, a stationary support and guide for the carrier arranged to permit movement of the er of two directions substantially at right angles to one another means mounted separately from the earner but movable with the carrier for imparting a short, slow movement to the carrier transversely of the envelo blank, and means mounted independent y'of the carrier and of the first mentioned moving means for imparting a long, fast movement to the carrier I in the direction of the plane of the envelope blank, sa'd means for impartin the short,

slow mo ement to the carrier eing made independefit ofijthe, carrier movement imparted by the second carrier moving means.

18. A folding. mechanism as clalmed in claim 17 where n the means forim arting the short, slow movement to the carrler has sliding connection with the carrier, and the means for imparting lon has pivotal connection wit the carrier.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my 7 signature to this specification.

ABRAHAM NovicK.

fast movement, 50 

